Exceptional Student Education (ESE), also known as special education, is instruction individually designed to meet the academic, physical, cognitive and social-emotional needs of students with disabilities. Our goal is to assure that all students with disabilities are taught by caring, dedicated, highly qualified and knowledgeable ESE teachers.
We offer degree programs at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels as well as an undergraduate minor and five graduate certificates.
Our faculty are actively involved in research grants and federal and state teacher preparation projects. Funding opportunities are available for several of our programs.
What to expect with an exceptional student education degree.
Explore the field’s diverse career options and how to get there.

Degree Programs
We offer undergraduate and graduate level programs in a variety of modalities
such as face-to-face, fully online and mixed-mode to meet your needs.
Exceptional Student Education, BS
- K-12 Certification
- Learning and Language (Non-Certification)
Exceptional Student Education, Minor
Exceptional Student Education K-12, MA
Exceptional Student Education, MEd
Graduate Certificates
- Applied Behavior Analysis
- Autism Spectrum Disorders
- Collaborative Intervention Specialist
- Interdisciplinary Language and Literacy Intervention
- Pre-Kindergarten Disabilities
Curriculum and Instruction, EdD
- Exceptional Student Education
- Exceptional Education
Available Funding Opportunities for Exceptional Student Education Majors
Our Team
-
Lisa Dieker, Ph.D.
Pegasus Professor and Lockheed Martin Eminent Scholar Chair -
Dan Ezell, Ed.D.
Associate Professor -
Rebecca Hines, Ph.D.
Associate Professor -
Mary Little, Ph.D.
Professor -
Matthew Marino, Ph.D.
Professor -
Caroline Marrett, Ph.D.
Senior Lecturer and Academic Program Coordinator -
Janice Seabrooks-Blackmore, Ph.D.
Professor and Executive Director -
Eleazar Vasquez, Ph.D.
Professor and Director